As a result of optical discs being an ideal medium for long term and accurate storage and reproduction of sounds, images and data, they have become extremely popular. However, due to this popularity, large collections of optical discs are being assembled, by offices, individuals and libraries, without adequate means of storage, retrieval and play being available.
One area where multiple disc storage and play has taken root is in audio CDs. A plethora of consumer multi-disc players have been developed and sold. Further, some jukebox companies have developed CD playing jukeboxes changer systems.
In some of these CD jukeboxes, such as the changers of Rowe International, Inc. of Whippany, N.J., Rock-ola Manufacturing Corporation of Torrence, Calif. and Sony Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, a changer mechanism is provided comprising an articulating member used to either grasp or squeeze the CD and move it to the CD player. The articulating member, of some of these jukeboxes, grasps the CD as a person would by placing a finger on either side of the CD and squeezing the CD between the fingers until enough friction to lift the CD, without the CD falling, is generated. NSM of Bingen am Rhein, Germany uses a magazine filled with CD's in trays. The CD's in the NSM system are held horizontally.
The CD changers, with articulating CD graspers, are complicated and delicate pieces of equipment. Such changers may require numerous delicate moving parts and periodic adjustments. Grasping devices, as described, when out of alignment or in disrepair, may immediately cause damage to CDs grasped incorrectly. Further, in order to allow some of these articulating members to grasp a CD it is the rack holding the CD that must be moved to the articulating member. Therefore, special CD holding racks must be provided that allow the rack to rotate to allow each CD to be grasped by the articulating member. Because such holding racks are generally impractical for transporting CDs to and from a jukebox, as such racks are generally large and require special mechanical connection to allow them to move, a technician may have to periodically go to the site of each player in order to provide it with new music and program the new music selection codes into the device. Technicians may have to replace CDs one at a time at the site of these jukeboxes.
Further, specialized racks may be complex mechanisms that could require special manufacturing processes and continuing maintenance in order to work. Also, these racks, because of the amount of space needed for their rotation may be unable to hold large numbers of CDs limiting the play selections the jukebox can provide.
We have found it desirable to have an optical disc changer system, such as a CD changer assembly for use in jukeboxes, that does not grasp the discs on their play faces to move them and therefore causes no playface damage to discs. It is desirable for the device to lift discs as recommended by the manufacturers of discs, that is by the edges. Also, it would be desirable for a disc changer assembly transfer arm to have no moving parts and be easy to manufacture and maintain.
Further, we have found it desirable for a disc changer assembly to have a magazine that can hold many discs in close proximity to each other. This magazine can be molded from plastic and holds discs upright. It would be desirable when updating the disc selections in the changer assembly, for a new tray with discs in their correct positions to be brought to the site of the changer assembly and simply exchanged for the magazine previously loaded in the changer assembly. It is also desirable for a device using such an assembly in public, such as a jukebox, to be provided with a window that allows users of the device to watch the workings of the device.
It is further desirable to have an optical disc changer assembly that is adaptable, by merely changing the size of certain parts, to all types of optical discs, not just CDs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disc changer assembly that is easy to use, inexpensive to manufacture and maintain and provides space for a large number of discs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disc changer assembly that provides highly accurate selection of discs with minimum movement of a transport carriage and no movement in the magazine.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disc changer assembly that is entertaining to watch.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a disc changer assembly design that is adaptable to all types of optical discs.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.